Because: Wow! We talked forever about this book, without taking any side roads to other places. We stayed right with the book for nearly an hour, and there was so much to analyze. First, I was the only person who liked the book. The others found it frustrating, trite, and overly wordy. And when he described a scene in great detail, some thought he was telling rather than showing. I proceeded to explain all the reasons why I thought it was otherwise. Great discussion.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Discussability Score: 4

Because: We talked about the characters’ motivations and decisions (believable or not?) and the structure of the book. (I really liked the way the author interspersed the character’s blog posts into the narrative.) And we talked about the way the author and her characters approach issues of race. A lively, vibrant discussion.

The Towers of Trebizond by Rose Macaulay

Discussability Score: 3

Because: We none of us liked this book. But that didn’t hamper discussion. We talked about how the writing style didn’t work for us, but also about the key question: Is the narrator female or male?

Next up: Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

(not the beginning of another dystopian spree, I’ve been promised)

For more things book club… head on over to Book Club Central, where I tell the whole story.